Three Dresses
by MissForsythe
Summary: Three dresses to define three important life moments.
1. The Evening Dress

Title: The Evening Dress (1/3)

Author: MissForsythe

Rating: PG (will be higher in later chapters)

Summary: Nathan is officially sworn in as Chief.

Disclaimer: You really think that Chris would still be around if I owned the show?

Pairing: Nathan & Audrey

Author's Notes: The first of a three piece fic, each focusing on a different type of dress.

Link to dress: .?pPIMGID=2

**The Evening Dress**

If Nathan Wournos is asked about the best night of his life, the night he was officially sworn in as Chief would be the first thing he'd think of. Not for the fact that it now made him the leading authority on all things Haven, or that the joint counties held a freaking ball in order to recognise this fact.

He'd picked her up at the Gull at 8. She'd still been in the bathroom when he arrived, and he'd been pacing nervously. He'd also bumped into the piano, and the off key sound made him jump. To make matters worse, he could hear Audrey bursting into laughter behind the bathroom door. He'd taken his shot nerves outside, staring at the water for a while until he heard rustling behind him.

She was standing in the door way, wearing a floor length black dress with a floral pattern adorning the edges. She'd done her hair up so that a few loose curls nicely framed her face. She smiled nervously as she came towards him, holding out a simple silver necklace. He closed the clasp, not being able to resist running his hand over her bare shoulder.

She straightened his tie and ran her hands over the blue cotton of his uniform jacket, lingering over his heart.

When they came downstairs, the first thing they noticed was that all their friends were there, and the second was that Vince took their picture. The flash was so bright, Nathan was sure his corneas would never forgive him. It took ten minutes for everyone to stop cooing over the dress. Not that he minded, she looked absolutely stunning, but he also knew that it wouldn't befit the brand new Chief of the Haven PD to be late to his own party.

The ball was held in a banquet hall in Bangor, the same one where he'd remembered the Chief had been sworn in so many years ago. The notion that he was really here, that she was really here made his breath hitch in his throat for a second. Before they entered the hall, Audrey had jokingly told him to take a deep breath, and then, more seriously, asked if he was ready. He thought of the past few months, of all the insanity that had led them to this moment. He'd just pulled her to him and kissed her, thinking that he'd never been more ready then this.

The ceremony in itself was short, and it wasn't until the Head Commissioner announced him as Chief, that he realised how very real all of this was. His eyes immediately found hers, and he saw her eyes glistening as she applauded and cheered. He could see something new in there too, something undefined as of yet, but he knew that it meant that she was proud of him.

After the well wishes and an endless dinner, the lights were dimmed and a booming voice asked him if he and his date would like to open the dancing part of the evening. Without hesitating, he stood up and held out his hand to her. The dance floor was darkened except for the spot where they stood, and he could hear the first notes of Purple Rain start up. The invitation had come with a request for an opening song, and it had taken him ages to figure out the perfect song. He'd only submitted it yesterday, after hearing her softly humming it under her breath while she did paperwork.

Her eyes looked up at him again, this time in surprise, perhaps a little shocked too. She held him a little tighter and softly whispered his name as she leaned her head against his shoulder. The rest of the room, of the world, seemed to dissipate, and he'd wished it could go on forever.

Later, while driving home, he looked over at her. She was dozing in the passenger seat, still not quite believing that tonight had been real. She'd told him this, a little more often the more champagne she'd had. Of course, he'd been to thick to realise that this was really a Cinderella dream come true for her. All the stories she'd told about her childhood, or perceived childhood. Of course she'd never dreamt of a ball gown and champagne and opening dances.

He stopped at a red light, and noticed that one fork in the road led back to Haven, the other to Derry and the little B&B they had there for honeymooner tourists. He wondered if they'd notice if they didn't come home until tomorrow night. Encouraged by the champagne, he chose the road to Derry.

TBC


	2. The Red Sundress

Title: The Red Sundress (2/3)

Author: MissForsythe

Rating: T (because they do stuff)

Summary: The night and the day after the ceremony.

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't. My diabolical plans to do so are constantly thwarted.

Pairing: Nathan & Audrey

Nathan had to stop at the local 24/7 store to ask directions. While the clerk went looking for a map, he looked around the store, because he'd realised that he didn't pack any extra clothes or food for their little runaway adventure.

By the time the clerk returned, he'd stocked up on breakfast foods, a three pack of wifebeaters, soap and shampoo, and a red sundress. It hung on the clearance rack, and immediately drew his eye as he passed it. While he paid, he stared out at the Bronco and her sleeping form against the passenger side window. He looked at the dress and thought it would make the perfect cherry on the already perfect cake that w this weekend.

When they arrived at the B&B, he realised that all the stories he'd heard about this place were nothing short of realistic. It wasn't a B&B as such, just a dozen cottages standing in a half circle under the stars. The main office was lit by a sign announcing that there are vacancies and a streamer of Christmas lights decorating the awning. The owner, an elderly lady, asks him a million questions about his wedding day as she searches for the key . The questions stop when she notices the lack of a wedding ring on his finger. He smiled at her, making up an excuse about the best man forgetting them. She huffs disapprovingly, but his head was so filled with plans for tomorrow and images of Audrey in a wedding dress that he didn't even notice.

They walked across the lawn, Audrey still half asleep and not really understanding where she was. Just before they reached the door, he hoisted her up in his arms and carried her across the treshold. She let out a soft laugh against his collarbone, and it took all his willpower to not drop her.

The bedroom is tiny, and the light doesn't work properly. Luckily, a previous tenant left a bunch of candles on the dresser. He lights them, and watches as Audrey struggles with something on the back of her dress. Then, he notices that her dress is actually a two piece set, and that the upper half is a corset type garment, held together with black satin ribbons. He sat behind her and slowly pulled the knot. She'd gotten up from the bed, and sternly told him to lay on his side, facing the window away from her. He made quick work of his uniform, until only his boxers were left. He could hear the water splashing in the bathroom, and the light being turned off as she exits and gets in behind him. She kisses his shoulder, and the sensation that followed made his entire body come to life at light speed. He didn't feel any cotton, anywhere. He felt her skin and her hair and every shift her body made against his. She whispered something about a surprise in his ear, but it just sounded so far away. Then, there was a sudden darkness as she blindfolded him with his tie. He could feel her everywhere, doing with him what she willed. Over and over again. He doesn't remember how many times he'd come that night, except that the sun was slowly rising outside when he'd fallen asleep on her stomach.

He woke up around 10 am, immediately looking for her warmth but not finding it. There was steam coming from the bathroom, and it took him a few minutes to decide to find her or let her be for a while. After ten minutes, he went to look and found her in the tub, her head leaning back against the edge. He didn't say anything, just left the red sundress on the bathroom stool.

There was a lake about three miles from their cottage. It was surrounded by tall grass and looked like something out of an Impressionist painting. There was an old willow tree providing shade, with a swing hanging from one of branches. They lay on a blanket in the tall grass, and she wore the red dress and was seriously testing his boundaries. They'd eaten sandwiches and drank soda and he'd taken her picture as she walked through the tall grass, her fingers ghosting over the stalks. It was that moment that he knew he never wanted anything else then this. Her. He wanted to spend the rest of his life pushing her on the swing, taking her picture, looking at her as she dozed in his arms.

She'd linked her fingers with his as she made him feel the grass, the coolness of the water, the cotton of the dress. He wasn't planning on it, but he proposed to her right there and then. He also realised that the dress wasn't the cherry on the cake, it was the moment where she whispered yes into his ear, promptly followed by a make out session of epic proportions. He was pretty sure that the willow tree would never recover.

Later as they drive back, with her head on his shoulders, . He'd realised that not only would he be returning to Haven as the new Chief, but also an engaged man, and possibly the luckiest bastard on the planet.


	3. The Goodbye Dress

Title: The Goodbye Dress (3/3)

Author: MissForsythe

Rating: PG (will be higher in later chapters)

Summary: Nathan remembers.

Disclaimer: Don't own a thing.

Pairing: Nathan & Audrey

Author's Notes: The first of a three piece fic, each focusing on a different type of dress.

**The Goodbye Dress**

As an old man, Nathan often busies himself by remembering the dress she wore when he last saw her. He has no clear picture of it anymore, whether it was knee length or a little shorter, if he'd bought it or if she'd gotten it from Lucy's stash. He knows it was white and red. Sometimes it's checkered, sometimes it's a white dress with a red trim. Sometimes it's a plain red dress with a white belt.

They'd been married seven years, two months and then some when it happened. When the cracks came, when they could no longer hold back the Troubles. One morning, she'd woken up crying, and he saw that horrible realisation in her eyes. They'd always known this day was coming, the Rev had predicted it on his death bed. They'd taken no chance and lived each day to the fullest. Their wedding had been one of the most intense days they'd ever lived. She'd looked beautiful in her white dress and with the flowers in her hair. Sometimes, he'll line up the pictures he has of her. Every single one has her wearing a dress. A black evening dress, a red sundress, a wedding dress, a black maternity dress.

Two years after they got married, Gideon James Wournos was born with an ear splitting schriek as he was rudely yanked into existence. They'd spent the first few weeks after between the walls of their small bungalow, just revelling in their new found parenting responsibility. There's a picture of Audrey holding Gid on his first birthday, her belly already showing the first signs of another baby on the way. They hadn't planned on having them so close together, but he can still remember how thrilled she was. But she was even more thrilled when she found out it was another boy.

That morning, she'd kept the boys home from school, took them to the beach and watched as Matthew toddled on the sand and his brother ran circles around him in encouragement. Later, after she'd put them to bed and darkness had set in, they'd made love. Over the years, it had become soft and gentle rather then loud and devil may care who hears, but it hadn't lost anything in intensity.

Afterwards, he'd dreamt that she was standing at the edge of the ocean, wearing that red and white dress. She'd kissed him and asked him to please raise their sons to be good men, and that she'd always watch over them. He was unable to keep her from vanishing slowly, the tears streaming down her face. He'd woken up and only found silence and darkness and an empty space where his heart used to be.

Years later, when Gideon was in college and Matty a high school senior, she'd returned briefly. Said her name was Lily Alexander, and she'd come to Haven for a grad school project. She never found the Lucy newspaper clipping, never found any sign of Audrey Parker. Matty ran into her once at the grocery store, he helped her pick a brand of mustard or some such. He hadn't wanted to hide the pictures from them when they were little, but as time went on, he'd kept the pictures on his nightstand where they'd be the first and last thing he saw before sleeping.

Now they adorned the window sill in the small apartment he moved to after the upkeep of the bungalow became too much. Sometimes when he closes his eyes, he knows that the dress was actually white with flowery pattern along the skirt, and a small red belt around her middle. He knows that she had bought it for a party, and that it had buttons on the back. He knows that it took him a while to master undoing the dress, usually hampered by his hurry to get it off. He often wonders where that dress went. If she wore it to go wherever she faded away to that night on the beach.

He looked out the window, at the people milling below. He puts a hand on his chest, feels his heart beat, feels the wool of his sweater. Feels everything. Once upon a time, he remembers wanting to feel. Now, he would trade it instantly if it meant getting her back for only one minute.

The End

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